Moscow (TIP); Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned weekend protests demanding the release of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny as dangerous and illegal, as the opposition politician’s allies said they planned a similar protest for Sunday. Police detained more than 3,700 people and used force to break up rallies across Russia on Saturday as tens of thousands of protesters ignored the extreme cold and police warnings to demand Navalny be freed from jail, where he is serving a 30-day stint for alleged parole violations that he denies. In a rare public rebuttal of a Navalny accusation, Putin rejected an allegation the critic made last week in a video — which has since garnered more than 86 million views on YouTube — that the Russian leader owned an opulent Black Sea palace paid for by his friends, sometimes using public money. Putin, who avoids mentioning Navalny by name, also told students on Monday that people should not use illegal protest action to further their own political interests.

“Everyone has the right to express their point of view within the framework provided by the law. Anything outside the law is not just counter-productive but also dangerous,” said Putin.

He cited upheaval caused by the 1917 Russian Revolution and the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union as examples of how illegal action could cause people misery and should therefore be avoided. Reuters